Hay loader



April 12, 1932.

T. E. ROSS HAY LOADER Filed Sept. 24, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Im erworTHOMAS E. Ross A bt orncys April 12, 1932. T. E. ROSS 1,853,378

HAY LOADER Filed Sept. 24, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Avtorne gs T. E. ROSSHAY LOADER April 12, 1932.

Filed Sept. 24. 1'92 3 Sheets-Sheet [m cntor THOMAS E. Ross 5 Lu-I z -IAttorneys Patented Apr.12,1932 i l 1,853,378

was rATES :PAIT-ENT:APQFFEQE iHOlVlZAS E. ROSS, OF STILLWATER,-MINNESOTA,'-ASSIGNOR TO STATE OF I MINNESOTA r V an manna Applicationfiled September 24, 1927. Serial No. 221305;

This invention relates to new and useful been disclosed a structuredesignedto carry i improvements in hay loaders; and morepar out thevarious objects of the invention, but ticularly to hay loaders employingan endless it isfto be understood that the invention is elevator havingthe delivery .end thereof notconfined'tothe exact features shown vas 5mounted for vertical adjustment. various changes may bema-de withinthe 3An object of the invention is to provide a scope of the claims whichfollow.- hay loader having a hinged delivery section Inthe accompanyingdrawings forming provided with means for looking it in adjustpart of ths specification; ed positions said means comprising a rack Figure 1 is,a vertical sectional view of a V bar and pinion, and having a dog forlocking hay loader showing my invention as applied 60 the pinion againstrelative movement in l16r9 0 r s said rack bar, whereby the hingedsection Figure2 is an enlarged elevational viewof may be locked inadjusted positions; said dog the upper portion of theelevator,-showingthe having a lever positioned in a manner to be hingedsection and the means provided for conveniently operated by means'of ahay fork hold ng it 1I 1* ad usted positions; i 65 or otherinstrumentality, held in the hands Figure 31s aplan view of the hingedsecof an operator standing in a hay wagon or 1 3 on the ground adjacentto saidhinged' see- Flg g d l l ed tl yl l tion, thereby simplifying theadjustment of View on the line 4+4: Figurei6, showing the hinged sectionin that the latter may be thedog 1n looking position, the dotted linesraised to any of its adjusted positions or inlndl'Catlilg the position fthe dog and its stantly lowered without the operator being p ra i g Pwhll'lfl p a pq l; required to leave his position on the Wagon orFlgflre 5 .IS' a detailed sectional view on ground and climb upon theloader frame to 61 5'OfF1g1 1-I 3; and j H 55 operate a lever orv crankmechanism. He Flg r 6 18%v svffilolllal p View Showing may raise thepivoted section or lower it by the (log engaged with the rack bar. meansof a hay fork if he wishes to do so In the selected embodiment of theinvenwhile standing in one position. tion here s'hown,-thereisillustrated in Fig Other objects of the invention reside in the fire 1 aconventional hay loader comprising novel arrangement of the raclrbarsand-pina main frame 2 supported upon suitable ions supporting the outerend of the hinged wheels 3'" mounted upon an axle 4:. An iii-- elevatorsection, whereby the outer end there clin'ed endless c'onveyer 5 has itslower end of may be vertically adjusted without danger mounted upon acylinder 6 having the usual of binding; in the provision of the dog haygathering prongs or tines 7 adapted to mounted adjacent to one of saidpinions and deliver the hay onto the upper run ofthe engaging theadjacent rack bar for locking conveyerin the usual manner. the hingedsection in adjusted positions; in The upper end of the conveyor belt issupthe lever provided upon the dog, which may ported upon a-hingedsection 8, pivotally m be operated by being engaged by a hay forkmounted upon an upright frame member 9 as or other instrumentality tomove the dog out shown in Figuresl and 2. Guide rails 10 of and intoengagement with the rack bar, to support the upperrun of the conveyorbelt eliectthe adjustment of the section; and, in and similar guidesllsupport the lower run; the general construction and arrangement of Theforward end of the apparatus is supthe parts for locking the hingedsection in ported upon wheels 12 having a pivotal conadjusted positions.neotionwith the frame members 9 and13 as Other objects of the inventionwill appear indicated at'14. A suitable draft member 15 from thefollowing description and accomisattachedtothe forward-end of theapparapanying drawings and will be pointed out in tus; whereby itmaybe'connect'ed to a wagon the annexed claims. or similar device. I00

' i In the accompanying drawings, there has Hayloaders of the type hereshown, usual- 1y have their upper delivery or discharge end pivotallymounted so that it may be vertically adjusted to suit the height of thewagon and load. It is therefore desirable, that means he providedwhereby the hinged delivery section may be adjusted with respect to thewagon while the hay loader is in operation, and, without the necessityof having to get down onto the ground or climb upon the loader tooperate mechanism for vertically adjusting the delivery end of theconveyer, as in some cases, or having to operate a crank or similardevice mounted at the swinging end of the hinged section. 7

An outstanding feature of this invention resides in the novel meansprovided for vertically adjusting the position of'the hinged deliverysection without the necessity of the op erator having to stand adjacentto said section,'the mechanism being-so constructed and arranged that itmay be actuated by being engaged with a hay fork or otherinstrumentality, thus permitting the operator to standat a point remotefrom the discharge end of the loader as, for instance, at the forwardend of the hay wagon, while he is operating or vertically adjusting thehinged delivery section of the hay loader.

A shaft 16, preferably hollow, is mounted in eye-bolts 17, adjustablysecured to the frame members 18 of the hinged section 8 by means ofbrackets 19. The eye-bolts 17 are threaded at one end to receiveadjusting nuts 20, whereby the shaft 16 may be translated longitudinallywith respect to the conveyer belt, to adjust the tension thereof and totake up slack. Flanged wheels 21 are rotatably mounted upon the shaft 16and provide supports for the chains 22 of the conveyer belt, asparticularly shown in Figure 8.

Pinions 28, each having a hub 24:, are secured to the shaft 16 by meansof rivets 25 as shown in Figure 5. These pinions are located preferablyat the outside of the flanged wheels 21. A rack bar 26 is provided ateach side of the hinged section 8, each having one 7 end pivotallyconnectedto the upper end of the frame member 9 as indicated at 27, andthe lower ends of the rack bars being guidingly supported in guidebrackets 28, loosely mounted upon the shaft 16 adjacent to the pinions23.- These brackets are retained upon the shaft 16 by means of washers29 and cotter-pins 80. The rack bars 26 constantly mesh with the pinions28 so that when the hinged sect-ion 8 is vertically adjusted, thepinions will roll in the rack bars. As a result of the pinions 23 beingsecured to the shaft 16, and also that the pinions constantly mesh withthe rack bars, the outer or swinging end of the hinged section maybevertically adjusted without any danger of binding, as would result ifa rack bar was provided at one side only.

- The means provided for locking thehinged section in adjusted positionsis best shown in Figure 1, and consists of a dog 81 loosely mounted uponthe hub 24 of one of the pinions 23. This dog has an off-set end portion82 alined with its complementary rack bar 26 so that it will engage theteeth thereof as shown in Figure 6.

An operating lever or handle 88 is secured to the dog 81 and has anoff-set end portion 8% normally positioned as shown in Figure 2, wherebyit may be conveniently engaged with a hay fork or other instrumentalityand moved to the dotted line position shown in ,Figure 4. When thuspositioned, it Will be noted by reference/to Figure 4, that the dog isout of engagement with the rack bar, thus permitting the hinged deliverysection of the conveyor to drop by gravity to a lower position.Compression springs 85 are provided for partially counteracting theweight of the hinged section 8 and to limit the downward movement of thelatter, when the dog is moved out of engagement with the rack bar. Thesesprings are coiled about suitable thrust rods 86, each having one endguidingly supported in the upright frame members 9 by suitable guides87, and having their upper ends suitably connected with the outer end ofthe hinged section. Side boards 88 are provided at each side of thelower portion of the conveyer, and side boards 89 are pivotallyconnected to the upper ends thereof and have their intermediate portionssupported upon pivoted arms 40, having their lowerends sup ported uponthe side rails 18 of the hinged section as shown in Figure 2.

In Figure 1, the hinged section 8 is shown in an elevated position. Whenit is desired to lower the position of the hinged section, as forinstance, to the position shown in Figure 2, the operator or man in thehay wagon may move the dog 81 out of engagement with its complementaryrack bar 26, by thrusting his hay fork against the lever 8 1 andmovingit upwardly until the dog is moved out of engagement with the rack bar,or, he may move it to the dotted line position shown in Figure 4,whereby the hinged section will drop to its lowermost position againstthe compression of the springs 85. To adjust the position of the hingedsection 8 to a higher elevation, the dog is moved into engagement withthe rack bar as shown in Figure 4:, after which the operator may placehis hay fork against the endof the hinged section and push it upwardly.l/Vhen thus moved upwardly, the dog will slide over the teeth of therack bar, and when the operator releases the section 8 the dog willengage a tooth in the rack bar and lock the hinged section in adjustedposition. It will also be seen that by the employment of this novellocking mechanism, the'hinged section 8 may be vertically adj usted byan operator standing on the ground, and at a point remote from the hayloader,

'scribed.

zigesae'zs Z8 provided, of course, that the operator has a hay fork orother instrumentality' with which he can reach the dog 31 and move itout of engagement with its complementaryirack bar. The outer end of'thehinged section may also be moved upwardly to a higher elevation by beingengaged with a hay fork, as above de- This novel locking mechanism hasbeen found very useful in connection with hay loaders of the characterdescribed, because of the ease and convenience with which the hingedsection canbe adjusted'by an operator standing either on the ground orat the forward end of the hay wagon, into which the hay is beingdelivered from thehinged delivery section 8. Hay loaders of this typeare usually connected to the rear end of a hay wagon when in use, and asthis is common practice, it is thought unnecessary to show the Wagon inthe drawings.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a hay loader, a frame, an elevator thereon having a hingedextension, a guide at the outer end of said extension, a bar having oneend pivotally connected with said frame and having its opposite endportion slidably supported in said guide, means for adjustably lockingsaid bar to said guide whereby said extension may be held in one of aplurality of working positions, and a device for rendering said lockingmeans inoperative to cause it to release said bar, said device beingadapted to be actuated from a point adjacent the outer end of saidextension or from the ground to cause said extension to drop to a lowerposition.

:2. In a hay loader, a frame, an elevator thereon having a hingedextension, bars on said frame, guides on said extension adapted toslidably receive said bars, means adapted to interlock with said barswhereby said extension may be held in one of a plurality of workingpositions, and a device whereby said means may be rendered ineffectiveas a holding means and allow said extension to drop to a lower position.v

3. In a hay loader, a frame, an elevator mounted on said frame andprovided with a hinged section adapted for vertical adjustment, a rackbar having one end pivotally connected with said frame and meshing witha pinion carried by said section, and means mounted upon said hingedsection and adapted to engage said rack bar to lock the sec tion in aselected adjusted position.

i. In a hay loader, an elevator provided with a hinged section, meansfor adjusting said section comprising a pinion mounted upon the sectionand a rack bar with which said pinion meshes, a dog also mounted uponsaid hinged section and engageable with said rack bar to lock thesection in an adjusted position, and means on the dog whereby it may bemoved mto and out of engagement withsaid rack bar by means ofa -suitableinstrumentality. i

5. In a hay loader, a frame, an elevator mounted thereon and providedwith a hinged *section,-means for relativelyadjusting saidsectioncomprising a shaft carried by-said 7 section andhaving apinion-thereon, aarack bar connected with said frame and meshingwithsaid pinion, a dog engage'able withsaid rack bar to lock said hingedsection in an adjusted "position, and means "whereby said dog may bemoved out of locking engagement with said'ra'ckbar for the purposespecified. v6. In a hay loader, a frame, an elevator section, means forrelatively adjusting said section comprising a shaft carried by saidsection andhavmg a p1n1on thereon, a rack mounted thereon and providedwith a hinged tol'ock said 'Zhinged section in an adjusted w position,and means on saiddog whereby it may be moved'into and out oflockingengagement with said rack bar by a suitable 'instrumentality.

7 In a hay loader,'an elevator provided 4, with a hinged section, meansfor vertically adjusting'sai-d hinged section comprising a"shaftrm'ounted-on said section and having a pinion thereon, a guidebracket loosely mounted upon saidshaft,-arack bar having H one endpivotally supported and its other end guidingly supported in saidbracket and constantly meshing with said pinion, :a dog mounted adjacentto saidpinion'and adaptedto engagesaid rack barto lock'the pinionagainstmovement thereon and'whereby said hinged section may be locked inan adjusted position, and a lever secured to said dog whereby saiddogmay be moved out of-e'ngageme'nt with said rack bar, and may be actuatedfrom a point remote from said hinged section.

8. In a hay loader, an elevator provided with a hinged section, meansfor relatively adjusting said hinged section comprising a shaft mountedon said section and having pinions secured thereto, aguidebracketloosely mounted upon said sha ft adjacent said pinion,pivoted rack bars having end portions guidingl-y supported on saidbrackets and constantly meshing with said pinions, a dog loosely mountedupon said shaft adjacent one of said pinions and arranged to engage theadjacent rack bar to lock the latter against movement with respect tosaid pinion and to lock said hinged section in any adjust-ed position,a'trip lever secured to said dogand *ment with said rack 'bar, andwhen-out of engagement withisaid rack bar, allowsaid section to drop bygravity to a lower positlon. 1 V V v 9. In an apparatus of the classdescribed,

. a main frame, an elevator having. a hinged upper portionincludingidler wheels for the upper end of said ebvator and a bearing shafttherefor extending transversely of said elevator, locking meansat bothsides of'said main frame adjustably connectin said hinged portionrelative thereto,--said locking means having common operative connectionthrough said bearing, shaft.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, a main frame, an'elevatorhaving hinged upper portions and locking means at the outerend of saidelevator including a locking .member on said hinged portion. a lockingbar pivotally supported on said main frame,and

having sliding engagement with said lock- 7 ing member, said lockingmember having means engageable with said locking bar in one position ofrotation of said. locking member and releasable by rotation of thelatter into another position.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, a main frame, an elevatorhaving a hinged upper portion including idler wheels for the upperend ofsaid elevator and a bearing shaft extending transversely of saidelevator, means for shifting said bearing shaft longi tudinally of saidupper hinged portion to adjust the tension of said elevator, and lookingmeans at opposite sides of said main frame adjusting said hinged portionrelative thereto, said locking means being mounted on-and shiftable withsaid bearing shaft.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, a main frame, an elevatorhaving a hinged upper portion, locking means on the outer end of saidupper portion for selectively connecting said hinged portion relative tosaid main frame in alignment therewith, and having a plurality of stopsautomatically supporting said elevator in any one of a plu-v rality ofsuccessive positions at lowered an gies to said main frame.

13. In an apparatus of the class described, a main frame, an elevatorhaving ahinged 3 upper portion, a pair of locking bars at opposite sidesof said main frame, and looking means on the end of said hinged portionat each side thereof selectively engaging each of said pivoted supportsin a plurality of similar points for adjusting the position of saidhinged portion relative to said main frame, and means connecting saidlocking means for simultaneous operation.

lei. In an apparatus of the class described, a main frame, an elevatorhaving a hinged upper portion, locking means at opposite sides of saidupper portion adjacent the outer end thereof, locking bars pivoted atopposite sides of said main frame, each being slidably engaged andselectively adjustable relative to its respective locking'member, andmeans for simultaneously operating said locking members.

."15. In an apparatus of the class described,

a. main frame, an elevator having a hinged at. a lowered angle theretoand means connecting said locking means for simultaneous locking andunlockingoperations.

ln witness whereof, I have hereunto sethand this 20th day of September,1927. V THOMAS E. ROSS.

